Apparatus



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. H. ROGERS.

v SOUND TRANSMITTING APPARATUS.

Patented Oct. 23, 1883.

I VI '1 N ESSE S 4&2 a

' jy/MW g (No Model.) 2 Sheet-Sheet 2. J. H. ROGERS.

SOUND TRANSMITTING APPARATUS.

No. 287,169. Patented 00tf23, 1883.

UNrrED STATES AT Fries.

JAMES H. ROGERS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN f ELEOTRO GAS TELEPHONE COMPANY, OF NEI/V JERSEY.

SOUND-TRANSMITTING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 287,169, dated October 23, 1883.

Application filed December 30, 1882. (N 0 model.)

T0 at whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES HARRIS ROGERS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the countyof New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sound-Transmit ting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus designed to convey articulate sounds to a distance, and especially to electric telephone-transmitters, although some of the features of my invention are applicable to speaking-tubes, speakingtrumpets, and similar apparatus, and serve, when so applied, to increase the amplitude of vibration of the air-waves and the distance to which the sounds will be conveyed.

, Myinvention consists, first, of a novel speaking-telephone made by mounting one or both of the tensionchanging electrodes of any kind suitable for electric telephonic purposes upon a tube or pipe of any convenient length, and so constructed that the mouth of the speaker may be applied thereto, and the tube may be spoken through after the manner in which a speaking-tube or speaking-trumpet is used.

My invention consists, further, in employing a tube for this purpose made of an elastic material, such as india-rubber.

My invention further consists in stretching or compressing at some point in its length the elastic tube mentioned when it is used in connection with any acoustic apparatussuch, for instance, as electric tensionchanging electrodes suitably mounted and connected for transmitting soun'd e1ectricallyor when it is used in connection with a speaking-tube,speaking-trumpet, or other acoustic apparatus for the purpose of increasing the amplitude of the vibrations transmitted by the acoustic apparatus.

My invention consists, further, of certain details of construction that will be described in detail,- and then specified in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 exhibit various forms of telephone embodying my invention. Fig. 5 is a plan-of an instrument in which a tube stretched at a part of its length is used. Fig. 6 is a crosssection through the stretched tube. Fig. 7 is a plan of another instrument embodying my invention, and containing, instead of the stretched elastic tube, a tube compressed ,at a part of its length. Fig. 8 is acentral vertical section of Fig. 7.

In Fig. 1, A indicates a tube, which I prefer to make of an elastic materialsuch as rubber(although this is not necessary,) and which is here supposed to be so constructed that it may be spoken into or through. Said the spring itself being supported either bythetube or from an independent support. The electrodes are placed in circuit with any suitable electrical apparatus, in the usual way. When the tube is spoken into or through, the current passing through the electrodes is varied; but the variations are of great amplitude, and sounds are conveyed with great loud ness and distinctness.

In Fig. 2 two separate tubes A A are shown connected to a common tube or pipe, D, which is provided with a mouth-piece. One of the electrodes, as B, is mounted on one of the tubes A, and the other electrode is mounted on the other tube and rests in contact with elecof the variations produced is somewhat increased, owing to the fact that the effects 0 the two tubes ,A A are combined.

In Fig. 3, Findicates a strap or band, of metal or any other suitable material, which I prefer to make elastic, and which embraces and is supported by the tube A. The free ends of the strap carry the electrodes 13 O, which are mounted on adj Listing-screws passing through the ends of the strap.

In Fig. 4 is shown a split tube or pipe, of metal or other suitable material. The elec- 5 trode B. By this arrangement the amplitude trodes B G are mounted at or near the split" edge, and are secured to the tube by any suitable means. For the purpose of adjusting the contact of the electrodes B O, I employ a IOO spring, E, which tends to pull the two edges of the split tube together, and which is provided with an adjusting-nut or similar device, G. The elasticity of the tube in this case is such as to tend to hold the edges apart. The adjusting device may be dispensed with and the elasticity of the tube itself, when made of wood, metal, or similar material, depended upon for holding the electrodes against one another.

In Fig. 5 the tube A is shown as stretched at H. Uponthe stretchedportion are mounted one or both of the tension-varying electrodes, if the tube be used with electric telephone apparatus. The tube is stretched by means of an interior ring or piece, K, open at its centralportion. Within the periphery of the ring I find that astonishing vibrations occur when sirable.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a construction of apparatus in which a number of tubes are connected to a common pipe or tube, so asto be alike affected by sounds produced in or conveyed to said common pipe or tube. The transverse section, Fig. 8, taken longitudinally through one of the tubes, shows the manner in which the tube may be compressed instead of stretched, so as to produce the same effects in kind as one secured by stretching the tube.

L is a frame supporting the series of tubes A, conjoined in a common pipe or opening, N, which may constitute the mouth-piece of the apparatus, so that sounds conveyed into the opening N will cause vibrations of the air in all the tubes. The tubes may be used in any of the ways herein indicated, either by attachment to speaking tubes or by providing them with tension-varying electrodes. They may each be stretched at some portion of their length, or the equivalent expedient of compressing them at some portion of their length may be adopted.

In Fig. 8 the tube A is shown with a piece, M, of cork or other material inserted under it, so as-to compress the tube at that point. If the tension-varying electrodes are employed,

they are mounted on or in vibratory connection with the compressed portion, as here indicated.

Theelectrode O, as shown in Fig. 7, is connected, in the ordinary way, to a spring, 0,

which is in electrical connection with one of the binding-posts a, for the circuitof thetwo electrodes B O.

The electrode B is connected in any suitable manner with the binding-post b.

.The ends of the tubes A, Fig. 8, may be either sealed or left open. They are here shown sealed.

Other constructions of the various parts will readily suggest themselves to skilled mechanics.

I do not limit myself to the form of tube or to any particular means of stretching or compressing the same at some part of its length.

All matter of my invention herein shown and described and not specifically claimed I have claimed in my copending application, filed March 6, 1883, serial number 87,244. or

I reserve the right to claim in future applications.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A telephone-transmitter consisting of a sound-conveying tube or pipe upon which is mounted the tension-changing electrode or electrodes.

2. A telephone-transmitter consisting of a tube of an elastic material such as rubbercarrying one or both of the tension-changing electrodes.

3. In a telephonic or other acoustic apparatus for conveying sounds to a distance, the combination, with an elastic tube or pipe for conveying or receiving airvibrations, and open at one or both ends, of means for stretching or compressing said tube or pipe.

4. In a telephonic apparatus, the combina tion, with atube or pipe stretched or compressed at a portion of its length, of atensionvarying electrode or electrodes mounted on such stretched or compressed portion.

5. The combination, in an acoustic apparatus for conveying sounds to a distance, of a tube of elastic material and an interior stretching ring or piece, K, as and for the purpose described.

' J. H. ROGERS.

. \Vitnesses:

Oornvrus KNIGHT,

J. W. ROGERS. 

